Tribal Villagers in Chhattisgarh Continue Month-Long Protest Against India's Security Forces 18.06.2021 by Alisha Rahaman Sarkar https://sputniknews.com/india/202106181083183245-tribal-villagers-in-chhattisgarh-continue-month-long-protest-against-indias-security-forces/ the villagers in Bastar have started to become hostile towards the government's troops. The locals fear that the government's bid to increase security in the region threatens to suppress tribal people and their voices.
A 28-day long protest can't be called off abruptly. Villagers are still trying to keep the protest going in smaller numbers. None of their demands were met by the district administration. The only thing that was done is to set up a magisterial enquiry, which is a routine procedure. First, they irked the villagers into mass protest by opening a new camp during Covid times, then they used the spread of coronavirus to end the protest summarily. Nothing was achieved. If Covid is increasing in the area, the administration is to blame," human rights activist Bela Bhatia told Sputnik.
Earlier, a delegation of activist Bela Bhatia, convener of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan -- Alok Shukla, Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha chief Sanjay Parate and trade union leader Brijendra Tiwari held a meeting with Chhattisgarh state chief Bhupesh Baghel.
This week, rights activist Soni Sori tried to mediate talks between the locals and the administration. In 2021 alone, the state has witnessed 75 instances of killings where civilians, insurgents and security personnel have died.
‘We, CRPF didn’t fire in Silger, culprits must be punished’ June 18, 2021 Shubhranshu Choudhary https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/from-the-heart-of-india/we-crpf-didnt-fire-in-silger-culprits-must-be-punished/
Implementing Constitution in Adivasi areas can be big win for Maoists https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/06/04/opinion-implementing-constitution-in-adivasi-areas-can-be-big-win-for-maoists.html It is after a long time Maoists have offered to talk and state has replied positively Shubhranshu Choudhary By Shubhranshu Choudhary June 04, 2021
https://thenewpeaceprocess.org/history/
A shot at peace: How the Chhattisgarh government hopes to crack down on Maoist violence https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/up-front/story/20210315-a-shot-at-peace-1776101-2021-03-06
A new committee hopes to broker peace between the two parties. While reports suggest that Naxal violence is on the decline, civil society groups believe the government would err to count on a tenuous peace and must engage the Maoist central leadership in a dialogue. To this end, a state-level committee, consisting of 11 politicians, social workers and journalists, has come into being to try and broker peace between the two parties.
The Congress, reminds Shubhranshu Choudhary, had, in its 2018 assembly election manifesto, spoken of “serious efforts for talks”, but the Bhupesh Baghel-led government is yet to make good on that promise. “While the task seems uphill right now, it is the only option for a resolution of any sort,” says Choudhary.
बातचीत से हो सकता है नक्सली समस्या का समाधान: पूर्व डीजी प्रकाश सिंह Published on: Mar 28, 2021, https://react.etvbharat.com/hindi/chhattisgarh/state/raipur/interview-with-former-dg-of-bsf-praksah-singh-on-naxal-problem-at-raipur/ct20210328193759887
There is only one way out – and it is that the government of India and the Maoists should sit across the table and sort out their differences. Prakash Singh 01 April 2021, https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/web-exclusive-time-to-heal-naxal-wounds/378931?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=wa&utm_campaign=amp
The Naxal movement draws its strength from certain socio-economic factors --- large sections of population living below the poverty line, extreme inequalities of income, unemployment on a large scale, neglect of land reforms, rampant corruption, significant groups of tribals feeling disaffected and poor state of governance --- and there are no indications of the aforesaid factors disappearing in the foreseeable future. These problems would continue to haunt the Indian State.
The Naxals, on the other hand, should also understand that they can never achieve their aim of overthrowing the Indian State.
There is only one way out – and it is that the government of India and the Maoists should sit across the table and sort out their differences. Earlier, peace talks were held between the People’s War and state government of Andhra Pradesh in 2002 at the initiative of a Committee of Concerned Citizens. Three rounds of talks were held but there could be no agreement on substantive issues.
There are some efforts to revive the peace process now. In Bastar, the tribals have been expressing their desire for peace. An 11-day peace march was organised by Shubhranshu Choudhary, a journalist-turned-activist, from Abujmaad in Narayanpur district on March 12 and, after covering a distance of 222 km, concluding at Raipur on March 22.
https://www.firstpost.com/living/in-a-new-book-the-burning-forest-nandini-sundar-looks-at-the-maoist-conflict-in-bastar-3049306.html Manik Sharma
October 16, 2016 When it comes to organisations like the Maoists which are banned, it becomes very hard to do research — both because it is dangerous for the Maoists to trust researchers and because the state suspects you if you work on such issues. The biggest problem is that the state does not make the distinction between legitimate research and political activity, and does not appreciate the value of social science research.
the treatment of the conflict in Bastar has been very similar to that in Manipur or Kashmir — as I say in the book, the technology of counterinsurgency is remarkably similar across the world, even when the issues are different. In Kashmir, the state has used surrendered militants (Ikhwanis) in much the same way as surrendered Naxalites are being used in Bastar — as undisciplined storm troopers.
The path to resolution in all these cases is also similar — through political dialogue. The issues over which dialogue needs to take place are, of course, different — resources in central India, autonomy/freedom in Kashmir and so on. Another common feature or ‘confidence building measure’ that will help greatly in reducing conflict is for the state to enforce the rule of law, minimise human rights violations, acknowledge its mistakes, provide compensation and prosecute those guilty of excesses.
Justice Reddy and Nijjar warned against in their 2011 Supreme Court judgment banning state support for vigilante groups: “society is not a forest where one could combat an accidental forest fire by starting a counter forest fire that is allegedly controlled. …. Armed, the very same groups can turn, and often have turned, against other citizens, and the State itself”. We see this in Pakistan where state sponsored groups have engaged in terror against the Pakistani people themselves and also in the case of India’s gaurakshaks.
First survey in tribal languages in Maoist-hit areas; most prefer peaceful resolution.. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/78499381.cms 90% of participants supported a peaceful resolution through dialogue.
Open letter to a Maoist friend: Is it time to hang up your boots? July 24, 2020, Shubhranshu Choudhary https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/from-the-heart-of-india/open-letter-to-a-maoist-friend-is-it-time-to-hang-up-your-boots/